The senior citizen workers of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) received their first dose of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine on Wednesday.

MMDA Chair Benjamin “Benhur” Abalos Jr. personally witnessed the vaccination rollout for the seniors at the agency’s headquarters in Makati City.

The agency’s personnel are among the front-liners in the fight against Covid-19, one of the reasons for the high infection rate among MMDA workers, Abalos said.

“Kaya, humingi kami ng tulong sa DOH (Department of Health) para mabakunahan ang ating mga front-liners, lalong lalo na ang aming traffic enforcers, ang mga nasa field (That’s why we asked for help from the DOH to vaccinate our front-liners, especially our traffic enforcers, those on the field),” Abalos said, noting that the goal is to fully inoculate all of its estimated 8,000 workers.

The agency’s medical personnel had been vaccinated two days ago.

“Susunod kami sa priority ng gobyerno. Ang uunahin ay mga senior citizens pagkatapos ng mga medical front-liners. So sinusunod namin ‘yung priority case na A1 to A3 (We’re following the government’s priority. First are senior citizens after out medical workers. We’re following the priority case A1 to A3),” Abalos said.

He said all of the agency’s workers would be vaccinated with the CoronaVac. Abalos himself has completed the two doses of the vaccine since his initial vaccination on March 1.

The MMDA has recorded 771 cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), with active cases currently at 100. About eight personnel have died from the disease.

“Importante sa lahat na mabakunahan dahil hindi lang empleyado ang may proteksyon kundi ang kasama niya sa opisina at lalong lalo na ang kanyang pamilya (It’s important for everyone to be vaccinated, not only so that the employee has protection, but also to provide protection among his co-workers and family),” Abalos said. (PNA)